4. The new tenant of 221C

                                    

                                          
The next day, Giulia leaves her hotel room, heading back to Baker Street. No nightmares that night.
John greets her with a cordial smile and helps her with her luggage.
"I didn't know you were ready to move in immediately," he says, puffing and blowing under the weight of a heavy bag.
"I hadn't unpacked. I wasn't planning to spend the entire semester in a hotel room." She shrugs casually, but the sincere smile on her face fails to hide her relief. She has a proper place to stay now. That's a start.
He leads her to the basement door and turns a key in the lock before handing it over to her.
"It was pretty late last night, and I haven't explained much to you. This place is quite small, as you can see," he pronounces, pushing open the door of 221C.
"To be precise, it isn't even a flat. There's just a bedroom, a bathroom, and this small, unfurnished entrance hall. You will share the kitchen and living room with us upstairs. Hope it won't be a problem."
She roams around the place with a satisfied grin. "It won't."
"Good. Very good." He clears his throat, uncomfortable with useless small talk. "I'll let you move in and finally unpack your bags."
He takes a few steps toward the main door, but she calls him back.
"John, we didn't really discuss the rent. Yesterday you said it wasn't expensive. What did you mean by that?"
He looks pensive for a second. "Can you cook?"
"Sure."
"And would you mind tidying things up, now and then, just helping us with shared spaces?" he asks as his mind pictures Sherlock's beakers cluttering the kitchen table and the gory body parts in the fridge. Let's hope she isn't a very impressionable woman.
She beams at him, unaware. "Not at all. It's fine with me."
"I'm sure we will find an affordable deal, then." He winks at her and leaves. A second later, his head peeps again from the threshold.
"Come on up when you're finished. I'll make you a cup of tea."
"Thanks, John," she whispers as a warm smile lights up her face. She walks to the bedroom, collapses onto the sheetless mattress, and sighs, relieved. For the first time in forever, she doesn't feel out of place. That minuscule room almost smells like a place where she could belong.
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Some days later, early in the afternoon, Giulia appears in the living room of 221B, wearing her coat and scarf. It's late September, but the air is already turning chilly when the sun hides.
"Hanging out with some new friends?" John asks, standing up from his armchair and stretching his back.
"I'm going out on my own, actually. I wanna stroll about and discover some new places." She beams at him.
"Didn't you go on a walk yesterday?"
"Yes, and the day before. What can I say? I adore wandering around this city."
Watson shoots her a sceptical look. "London is quite big. Are you planning on visiting it all by walking?"
"Maybe, who knows? See you later, guys," she says cheerfully before disappearing down the stairs.
John gives ear to her footsteps, waits until he hears the front door opening, then mutters, "I'm embarrassed to say it out loud, but I still have doubts."